Heat-dissipating fins

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a heat sink of a large area, in which a heat-dissipating body is further provided in its limited space. The method for manufacturing a fin includes the steps of providing a fin, cutting the fin to form a foldable piece thereon, folding back the foldable piece to be overlapped on the fin and form an accommodating hole, and punching the folded piece and the fin to form two overlapped through-holes. The fin, the heat-dissipating body and heat pipes are assembled together to obtain the heat sink. Since the fins and the heat-dissipating body dissipate the heat of a heat-generating element simultaneously, the heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat sink can be improved.

CROSS REFERENCES RELATED TO THE APPLICATION

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/511,184 filed on Jul. 29, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat sink, and in particular to aheat sink of a large area.

2. Description of Prior Art

Electronic elements will generate heat during their operations.Especially, with the advancement of the science and technology, thefunctions and performance of an electronic product are enhancedsubstantially. As a result, the heat generated by the electronic productalso increases to a much larger extent. In view of this, most of theelectronic elements are provided with a heat sink to control its workingtemperature and maintain its normal operation. It is a well-known heatsink including a stack of heat-dissipating fins and heat pipespenetrating the stack of heat-dissipating fins.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a schematic view showing theconventional combination of heat pipes and heat-dissipating fins. Theheat sink 1 a comprises a heat-conducting base 10 a, two U-shaped heatpipes 20 a and a plurality of fins 30 a. The heat-conducting base 10 ais provided with a plurality of grooves 11 a. The two U-shaped heatpipes 20 a are inserted into the grooves 11 a. The heat pipe 20 apenetrates through-holes of the plurality of fins 30 a. With thisarrangement, the heat-conducting base 10 a is adhered to aheat-generating element. The heat sink 1 a can conduct the heatgenerated by the heat-generating electronic element quickly.

In the above structure, the heat is conducted from the heat pipe 20 a tothe fins 30 a. Then, the fins 30 a dissipate the heat quickly to theoutside. However, the heat pipes 20 a cannot conduct the heat uniformlythroughout the fins 30 a, so that the portions away from the heat pipe10 a are poor in heat-dissipating efficiency. Moreover, with thecontinuous improvement in the performance of electronic elements, theheat generated by the electronic elements is increased accordingly.Thus, the heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat sink also has to beimproved. Due to the limited volume of the current electronic product,it is an important issue to increase the heat-dissipating area of theheat sink 1 a as large as possible in order to increase theheat-dissipating efficiency.

Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the presentInventor proposes a reasonable and novel structure based on hisdeliberate research and expert experiences.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a fin and a heat sink of a largearea. A heat-dissipating body is further provided in a limited space, sothat the fins and the heat-dissipating body can dissipate the heat of aheat-generating element. In this way, the heat-dissipating efficiencycan be enhanced.

The present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a heatsink of a large area, which includes the steps of: a) providing aplurality of fins and a heat pipe; b) cutting each of the fins to form aplurality of cutting lines on the fin, the cutting lines forming atleast one foldable piece; c) folding the foldable piece back to beoverlapped on the fin, thereby forming an accommodating hole on the fin;d) punching the fin and the folded piece to form two overlappedthrough-holes; e) penetrating the two through-holes of the fin and thefolded piece by the heat pipe; and f) penetrating other fins by the heatpipe according to the step e).

The present invention provides a heat sink of a large area, whichincludes a heat pipe and a plurality of fins. The fins are parallel toeach other and arranged at intervals. The heat pipe penetrates the fins.Each of the fins is provided with a foldable piece. The foldable pieceis folded back to be overlapped on the fin. The fin is formed with anaccommodating hole. The folded piece and the fin are provided with twooverlapped through-holes. The heat pipe penetrates the two through-holesof the fins.

The present invention provides a heat-dissipating fin. The fin isprovided with a foldable piece. The foldable piece is folded back to beoverlapped on the fin, thereby forming an accommodating hole on the fin.The folded piece and the fin are provided with two overlappedthrough-holes.

In comparison with prior art, since the fin of the present invention isprovided with a folded piece and an accommodating hole, in case of alimited space, the present invention does not need additional space forarranging the fins. Not only the heat sink has a plurality of fins, butalso a heat-dissipating body can be further disposed in theaccommodating holes of the fins. The heat sink of the present inventionhas a larger heat-dissipating area than that in prior art. Since thefins and the heat-dissipating body dissipate the heat of theheat-generating element simultaneously, the heat-dissipating efficiencyof the heat sink can be increased. Thus, the practicability of thepresent invention can be increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the conventional combination of heatpipes and heat-dissipating fins;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the method for manufacturing the heatsink of a large area according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an assembled view showing the heat sink of a large areaaccording to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a view showing the action for cutting the fin of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4B is a view showing the action for folding back the foldable pieceof the fin according to the present invention;

FIG. 4C is a view showing the action for punching the fin and the foldedpiece according to the present invention;

FIG. 4D is a view showing the action for pressing the fin and the foldedpiece according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the heatsink of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the heat sink ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view showing the heat sink of thepresent invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the operating state of the heat sinkof the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a view showing the heat sink according to the secondembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The characteristics and technical contents of the present invention willbe described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, thedrawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the presentinvention.

Please refer to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the methodfor manufacturing the heat sink of a large area according to the presentinvention, and FIG. 3 is an assembled view showing the heat sink of alarge area according to the present invention. First, a heat pipe 10, aheat-conducting base 20, a heat-dissipating body 30 and a plurality offins 40 are provided (step 100). The heat pipe 10 penetrates theheat-conducting base 20.

In the present embodiment, there are three heat pipes 10 each formedinto a U shape, but the number of the heat pipes 10 is not limitedthereto. The bottom surface of the heat-conducting base 20 is providedwith three grooves 21 to correspond to the number of the heat pipes 10.The three heat pipes 10 are inserted into the grooves 21. Theheat-dissipating body 30 is an aluminum-extruded fin which has a base 31and a plurality of extending pieces 32 extending upwards from the base31. The extending pieces 32 are parallel to each other and arranged atintervals. A channel 300 is formed between any two extending pieces 32.Further, the fins 40 are penetrated by the heat pipe 10.

Please refer to FIGS. 4A to 4D, which show the method for manufacturingthe fin 40. First, a tool (not shown) is used to cut the fin 40 (step200) so as to form a plurality of cutting lines 41 on the fin 40. Thecutting lines 41 form at least one foldable piece 42 on the fin 40. Forexample, if the cutting lines 41 forms a U shape, one foldable piece 42can be formed on the fin 41. If the cutting lines 41 formed an H shape,both sides of the fin 40 can generate a foldable piece 42 respectively.

Please refer to FIG. 4B. Then, the foldable piece 42 is folded back, sothat the folded piece 42 can be overlapped on the fin 40. A hollowairflow channel 420 is formed between the folded piece 42 and the fin40. The hollow airflow channel 420 allows airflow to flow through totake away the heat. As a result, the fin 40 is formed with anaccommodating hole 400 (step 300). Then, the fin 40 and the folded piece42 are punched to form two overlapped through-holes 401, 402 (step 400).In the present embodiment, the step 400 is performed after the step 300.That is, in the present embodiment, the fin 40 and the folded piece 42overlapped on the fin 40 are punched at the same time. Alternatively,the step 400 can be performed before the step 300. That is, in the step400, the fin 40 and the foldable piece 42 are first punched to form twooverlapped through-holes 401, 402. Then, the step 300 is performed. Thefoldable piece 42 is folded back to be overlapped on the fin 40, so thatthe two through-holes 401, 402 are overlapped. Then, a tool 50 is usedto press the peripheries of the two through-holes 401, 421. In this way,the peripheries of the two through-holes 401, 421 are formed with twooverlapped flanges 402, 422.

The two through-holes 401, 422 of the fin 40 and the folded piece 42 arealigned with the heat pipe 10, so that the fin 40 and the folded piece42 can be penetrated by the heat pipe 10 (step 500). The base 31 of theheat-dissipating body 30 is disposed on the top surface of theheat-conducting base 20 and is accommodated in the accommodating hole400 of the fin 40.

Please refer to FIGS. 5 to 7. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing theexternal appearance of the heat sink of the present invention. FIG. 6and FIG. 7 are cross-sectional views of the present inventionrespectively. Following the above steps, other fins can be penetrated bythe heat pipe 10 (step 600), thereby completing a heat sink 1. It can beseen that the flange 402 of the through-hole 401 of the fin 40 isadhered to an outer wall of the heat pipe 10 tightly (excluding anarrowed section 101 of the heat pipe 10). Most of the extending pieces32 of the heat-dissipating body 30 are accommodated in the accommodatingholes 400 of a stack of fins 40. In addition, the channels 300 of theheat-dissipating body 20 are in communication with each other.

Please refer to FIG. 8, which is a schematic view showing the operatingstate of the heat sink of a large area according to the presentinvention. When the heat sink 1 is used to dissipate the heat of aheat-generating electronic element 60, the heat-conducting base 20 andthe bottom section of the heat pipe 10 are adhered to the surface of theheat-generating electronic element 60.

The heat generated by the heat-generating electronic element 60 isconducted to the heat-conducting base 20 and the heat pipe 10. The heatis further conducted to the fins 40 by means of the heat pipe 10. On theother hand, the heat conducted to the heat-conducting base 20 is furtherconducted to the heat-dissipating body 30. As a result, the extendingpieces 32 dissipate the heat into the channels 300 that are incommunication with each other. The fins 40 and the heat-dissipating body30 are used to dissipate the heat of the heat-generating electronicelement 60 at the same time to the outside. In this way, the temperatureof the heat-generating electronic element 60 can be reduced, and theaccumulation of heat on the heat-generating electronic element 60 can beprevented. Thus, the heat-dissipating efficiency of the heat sink 1 isincreased.

Please refer to FIG. 9, which is a view showing the heat sink of a largearea according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Thepresent embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment.The difference between the present embodiment and the first embodimentis described as follows. The heat sink 1′ is not provided with aheat-conducting base. The fins 40′ are penetrated by a flat heat pipe10′. Each of the fins 40′ is provided with two foldable pieces 42′ andan accommodating hole 400′ is formed between the two foldable pieces42′. A heat-dissipating body 30′ is also accommodated in theaccommodating hole 400′.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to theforegoing preferred embodiments, it will be understood that theinvention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalentvariations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in thisart in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all suchvariations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plurality of heat-dissipating fins, comprisinga plurality of fins parallel to each other and arranged at intervals, aheat pipe penetrating the fins, the fin being provided with a foldablepiece, the foldable piece being folded back to be overlapped on the fin,thereby forming an accommodating hole on the fin, the folded piece andthe fin being provided with two overlapped through-holes, the heat pipepenetrating the two through-holes of the fin.
 2. The heat-dissipatingfins according to claim 1, wherein the peripheries of the twothrough-holes are provided with two overlapped flanges, the flange ofthe fin is adhered to an outer wall of the heat pipe tightly.
 3. Theheat-dissipating fins according to claim 1, further comprising aheat-dissipating body, the heat-dissipating body being disposed in theaccommodating holes of the fins.
 4. The heat-dissipating fins accordingto claim 1, further comprising a heat-conducting base, theheat-conducting base allowing the heat pipe to be inserted therein.